Home/News/Newly branded cycle route 'Round the Inner Forth' is set to attract visitors to the area
Newly branded cycle route 'Round the Inner Forth' is set to attract visitors to the area
Round the Inner Forth launched at Queensferry with members of Climate FORTH, Sustrans Scotland, cyclists from CTC Edinburgh & the Lothians - as well as staff and children for the Little Bugs Nursery in Abercorn. Picture by Mark Ferguson.
A newly branded National Cycle Network route launches today (Monday 18th March 2024) to encourage more visitors to travel sustainably around the Inner Forth area. ‘Round the Inner Forth’ is a 70-mile circular trail which follows National Cycle Network Route 76 along the shores of the Inner Forth. Starting at the Forth Bridges, the route travels through the area’s impressive landscapes to Culross and Stirling, before turning back via Blackness.
A colourful new logo and signage, which alludes to the rich built and natural heritage of the Inner Forth, has been created. In addition to the new branding, visitors can access a two-day tour itinerary and six meticulously crafted day trips, complete with accompanying maps, which can be viewed at VisitScotland.com and Sustrans.org.uk. Videos of the full route (above) and shorter day trips have been made by This Way Up Media to showcase and promote the splendour of the Inner Forth.
This will help encourage visitors and locals alike to get on their bikes and experience the hidden gems that make the area such a unique and special place. The route also benefits from being hugely accessible from Edinburgh, Dunfermline, Stirling, and Falkirk.
With a variety of day trips tailored to different ages and abilities, there is plenty to explore, from breath-taking wildlife and scenic greenspaces to historical treasures and industrial relics. In addition, there are a number of welcoming cafes and restaurants located on the route, offering somewhere to stop and refuel.
The rebrand has been led by Climate FORTH (Furthering Our Resilience Through Heritage) in conjunction with Sustrans Scotland, one of the organisations making up the Inner Forth Futures partnership. Climate FORTH is the latest project from Inner Forth Futures, a landscape-scale partnership which has been operating across Clackmannanshire, Stirling, Falkirk and Fife since 2012. Sustrans is the charity working for and with communities, helping them come to life by walking, wheeling and cycling.
During the rebranding process, a group of representatives from the local tourism industry came together at a series of workshops, run by Braw Talent, to co-design the logo and brand identity, which appears on signage along the route.
The newly branded logo was co-designed with representatives from the local tourism industry. Workshops were coordinated by Braw Talent, with help from Climate FORTH and Sustrans Scotland.
As well as funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Round the Inner Forth has been supported by funding from the Scottish Government through Sustrans Scotland’s Network Engagement Programme and delivered in partnership with Climate FORTH.
James Stead, Project Manager for Climate FORTH said:
“It’s an exciting time in the Climate FORTH project to see the launch of the Round the Inner Forth route - benefitting local communities, visitors to the area and local businesses. The new identity of the route allows cyclists and walkers many opportunities to explore what the Inner Forth has to offer, in a sustainable way. We look forward to hearing how people have explored the lesser-known heritage of the region through this route and our biggest thanks to The National Lottery Heritage Fund, players of the National Lottery and to Sustrans Scotland for providing vital funding to make this vision become a reality.”
Cosmo Blake, Principal Network Development Manager for Sustrans Scotland, explained:
“We are delighted to launch Round the Inner Forth in partnership with Climate FORTH. As well as creating a new brand identity, we hope the six new cycling day trips and directional signage will encourage more people to make sustainable choices when exploring the Inner Forth estuary.”
Caroline Warburton, Destination Development Director at VisitScotland, said:
“The Round the Inner Forth Route is a fantastic way for cyclists of all abilities to explore the dramatic views and interesting towns and villages of the Firth of Forth, and to do this at their own pace.
Cycling has always been a popular activity for visitors and our hosting of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships has brought further global attention to Scotland as a leading cycling destination.
Routes like this help us support our sustainable tourism ambitions and we hope the rebranding will encourage cyclists to take the journey and support those local businesses on the way.”
For further information, contact Laura Healy Smith - laura.healysmith@rspb.org.uk
